Pathé
Records:Pathé
ActuellePathé
PerfectApex (Combo
Company of Canada) Although Apex was a separate company from Pathé
they traded masters.Cameo (merged
with Pathé in October 1927) and controlled Pathé until they
incorporated with Scranton Button Company to form the American Record Company
in 1929.

July 28, 1926-May, 1928

Columbia Records and it
subsidiaries:HarmonyVelvetoneDiva

June 12, 1928-September
22, 1931

American Record Corporation:BannerOriolePerfect
(continued until 1938)

Annette Hanshaw’s career
in records can be broken down into 3 periods. The first "early" years
were with Pathé’s labels. These would include
recordings for Actuelle, Perfect, Apex and Cameo labels (after Pathé
merged with Cameo in October 1927). These early recordings would
be the among the first electrical recordings that Pathé did.
In the earliest recordings, Pathé didn't even have its own equipment
and had to use the facilities of the Apex corporation of Canada.
The first E-2000 series would be some of the simplest "bare bones" songs
that Annette did. (Sutton,
Allan and Nauck ,Kurt, American Record Labels and Companies: An Encylopedia-1891-1943)

from
page 164 of American Record Labels..."in the autumn of 1926, Pathé
began to issue electrically recorded masters(E-2000
series) made for them in New York by the Combo Company. By early
1927, Pathé finally was producing its ownelectrical
recordings (called Pathéphonic in the press, but not on the labels),
and dubbing was finally abandoned."

Her second recording period
was when Wally Rose moved Annette over to Columbia Records and its
subsidiaries in June of 1928. Annette would primarily record for
the Harmony and Velvetone labels. Sometimes her records
would show up on the Diva label
as well, but these
would simply be from the same masters as the Harmony recordings.
Even though Pathé would reorganize and would merge with Cameo
records in October of 1927, Pathé or perhaps I should say
Pathé's merged countrerparts "the Regal Record Company and the Scranton
Button Company under the name of the American Record Corportation" would
continue its Perfect label until 1938. (Sutton,
Allan and Nauck,Kurt, American Record Labels and Companies: An Encylopedia-1891-1943)

from
page 164 of American Record Labels..."In July 1929, Cameo and its subsidiary
Pathé merged with the Regal Record Companyand
the Scranton Button Company (an independent pressing plant) to form the
American Record Corporation. For the briefremainder
of its existence, Pathé drew on ARC masters, duplicating material
on Banner and related labels. Although its cheaperPerfect
counterpart survived until 1938, the Pathé label was discontinued
in the United States in March 1930.

In fact, Annette would
finish out her career on the Perfect label after it was merged with the
American Record Company. The recordings that Annette did for the
Harmony and the Velvetone labels would be some of the most prolific of
her career. However, recording for the Harmony and Velvetone
labels would still be done with the acoustical recording process.
Although Columbia would start the electrical recording process with its
premiere "Columbia" label in 1925 it would not start its electrical recording
for its "dimestore" Harmony and Velvetone labels until 1929. As if
to add insult to injury, Columbia started giving Annette a number of pseudonyms
to "hide" her identity from the public. Although, they thought they
could hide her identity from the public it was probably one of the worst
kept secrets in the recording business and I have seen trade publications
indicating the various recording pseduonyms that Annette would use.
Pseudonyms were a sign of the times and were used by record companies for
many, many artists to improve market share. Annette would record
one song and that master tape would be released as "Dot Dare" on one label,
"Patsy Young" on another label and still overseas that same master would
show up as "Janet Shaw" or "Ethel Bingham" or "Marion Lee or Betty Lloyd."

From John Woodruff:

In the
July issue of "Talking Machine World" it was announced that "Other artists
under exclusive contract to the Velvet Tone organizationinclude
Annette Hanshaw", and all of her Velvet Tone sides were released under
her own name, except for the recordings where she sang in thestyle
of Helen Kane; these used the pseudonym "Patsy Young". Initially,
and likely because of her supposed exclusivity with Velvet Tone, herHarmony
(for general release) and Diva (for the W.T. Grant stores) records, which
were from the same masters as the Velvet Tone recordings,were
released as by "Gay Ellis" or for the Helen Kane records, by Dot Dare.

However,
by early 1929 (Diva) and mid 1930 (Harmony), the use of Gay Ellis and Dot
Dare psuedonyms had almost entirely disappeared, andshe
was known as just Annette Hanshaw or Patsy Young. (From January through
April 1933 Annette was known as Gay Ellis on the "ClicquotClub"
radio program, probably because she was appearing as herself on "Captain
Henry's Showboat" at the same time- (I wonder how manylisteners
were fooled?). All of Annette's records on the Columbia label, Clarion
label (except for a few re-releases) and Okeh labels were recordedunder
her own name. The only other psuedonym used on any of Annette's recordings
made during the Columbia years were:

An interesting side note
to the Helen Kane imitations that Annette did. When record executives
at Victor heard the Helen Kane imitations
by Annette they sued Helen Kane for breach of contract because they believed
thatAnnette was really in fact
Helen Kane singing under a pseudonym for another record company.
They believed that Annette sounded so much like Helen Kane they sued her!
Helen Kane is reported as saying that " Annette sounds more like me than
I do!" (From
"The Entertainers"-A CBC special broadcast)

The third and final phase
of her recording career would be with the American Record Corporation where
we start to see Annette showing up on the Banner and Oriole labels starting
in August of 1932 and running until February of 1934. This time was
not as prolific as the early years but this was because she was also very
heavily into radio.

Annette came from a from a fairly well to do family in New York and she
learned how to play the piano and ukulele at an early age. From John
Woodruff:

Annette's
family was more middle class rather than well to do, Annette's father
Frank Hanshaw was a clerk and then a saleman until she was 13, tried farming,
and then ran a succession of small guest houses and hotels (particularly
noted for their dining facilities presided over by Mrs. Hanshaw) with mixed
success. At the time of his death when Annette was 25, Mr. Hanshaw
was the manager of a businessman's club, and his estate was reportedly
negligible.

Reportably Annette
was self taught. Her father would teach her a few chords and she
would take it from there. (Quote
from Annette: The Entertainers)
She seemed to have the knack for singing as her mother told that even at
16 months old she could sing the choruses of at least twenty poplular tunes
of the day. Annette gave her mother the credit for making her a successful
artist. Annette would later remember that at the age of 3 her mother
had her do her first public recital on a chair in the parlor. A lollypop
was her reward for singing "The man in the moon". Even before she
was 15 she was offered two musical sholarships but turned them down in
favor of studying art. She had no designs on a musical career but
did learn how to play the piano and the ukulele well enough to accompany
herself. Her father had several roadhouses in upstate New York where
he encouraged her to sing to the guests. It was also at this time
that her father set her up with her own record shop, "The
Melody Shop". She could listen to the songs of the day
and practice her singing for the guests at her father's parties. (The
Entertainers)
It was at one of these parties that she was discovered at the tender age
of 24 by the music director of Pathe’s records. The executive, a
Mr. Herman Rose, heard her singing and convinced her she had talent.

From
John Woodruff: Herman Rose has been described as "an A and R man
from ...Pathé", the musical director of Pathé records", "record
producer", and later "in charge of the recording laboratories of [Velvet
Tone] and "recording manager of [Velvet Tone]." His other involvements
(i.e. not associated with Annette) in the recording industry seem to tend
toward the technical rather than the artistic side. I have never
seen any authoritative statements on how much he had to do with the musical
content (e.g. selections, arrangements, choice of accompanists) of any
of Annette's recordings, other than his encouragment of her continuing
use of "that's all" to end them.

Mr. Rose was a remarkable
man and was probably the reason for her whole career. He saw a talent
for singing and set up Annette for her first audition with Pathé.
He later became her manager and then her husband. He first
met her at 24 and married her 3 years later when Annette was only 28 on
June 12, 1929. Such devotion can only be described as love because
the talent that was arranged for hear reads as a who’s who of jazz
in the late twenties. Notwithstnading John's comments about "hard
evidence" about how much he had in the arrangements, I don't think it was
simply by chance that on Annette's first record she recorded with
Red Nichols and Miff Mole! He discovered her, he became
her manager and then he married her! And what a job her did for her!
Lanny Ross would later say about Wally "that he was always there for her,
at every one of her recordings" (The
Enterntainers).
She was probably scared to death. On her first test pressing for
Pathé you can hear her say, "I'm not doing so well, I am all a quivering".
Imagine how she felt when she had to make her first record with Red Nichols
and Miff Mole! But even on some of her first recordings something
was apparent. She could mimic, she could laugh, she could carry a
tune with personality and she could become part of the band. In essence
she could carry her voice as another musical instrument. Tommy Dorsey
once said of her that she was a "musician’s singer". Maybe it was
because of her shyness, her character, her desire to get the tune just
right that they ended up doing 4 or 5 takes on many tunes. Nevertheless,
the musicians loved her. At the time there were many good jazz musicians
but very few good jazz singers. To have the musicians love
her was probably her greatest asset.

When Pathe records went
into reorganization (merged
with Cameo Records in 1928-(Sutton and Kauck)in
late 1928, Mr. Rose set her up with Columbia and it many subsidiaries.
This was a strange period for her as she could have been very popular
but because Columbia had contracts with many different stores she recorded
for each store under a different pseudonym. She was called Patsy
Young, Dot Dare, Gay Ellis each name for a different company.
It was in the period of recording for Columbia that Annette really blossomed
artistically and got to sing with some of the greatest musicians
of the day. There was Red Nichols, Miff Mole, Adrian Rollini, Joe
Venuti, Eddie Lang, Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden and the Dorsey Brothers.
In one stint the Dorsey Brothers played with Bing Crosby in early 1929
and then just a few months later played with Annette. It is somewhat
ironic that Bing and Annette did not play together as both recordings were
done in New York.

From
John Woodruff: It should not come as a great surprise that Bing Crosby
and Annette Hanshaw did not play together [on recordings], since inher
entire recording career Annette only appeared on two records ('Say it isn't
So') and ('Happy Days are Here Again') with other vocalists or vocalgroups,
and on neither did she actually sing with them (i.e. in duet or ensemble
singing). Likewise, among her hundreds of know radio perfomances,
all were solo except with Lanny Ross twice, Scrappy Lambert once, and the
Show Boat Four 7 times. It seems clear that she preferedand/or
it was preferred that she sing alone. (personal correspondence dated
November 28, 2000)

As her recordings became
more popular she started blossoming out into radio in the late twenties.
Her first big show was the Van Heusen Radio Program on CBS. Then
she did an 101 week (Woodruff)
stint with the “Maxwell House Showboat” radio show and then a 39 week (Woodruff)
stint with the “Camel Caravan” with the Casa Loma Orchestra. On the
Maxwell House Showboat she recorded her only video. It is a
short 10 minute film where she sings, "We just couldn't say goodbye."
Had she the desire she probably could have been more famous, perhaps
more famous than Bing Crosby. She had all the same musicians.
But she tired of show business and except for a few radio shows retired
in the late thirties to settle into married life with Mr. Herman Rose.
After Mr. Rose died she began volunteering at a St. Agnes Church
in New York City where she had many friends (Roy
Evans-1993).

Below is a list of radio
appearances that she is known to have been in. This archive comes
from Preston Meeks. Again if you know of any additional performances
please email Preston at: pmeeks@pdq.net

Annette
Hanshaw's Radio Appearances (in sequential order)

Dates

Radio Show Appearances

3-10-1926

Local Radio Show on WGHB, Clearwater, Florida.
She was 24 at the time.

Van Heusen Radio Program
on CBS-She appeared as a regular each Wednesday night (except two weeks
when she was ill) until her last show on May 29,1929. (Meeks-Personal
correspondence)Annette was a regular on the Van Heusen Radio
Program during 3 different intervals:

There are references to her specific performances
on April 3,1929, April 10,1929, April 17, 1929,April 24, 1929, May 1,1929,
May 8,1929,May 15, 1929,May 22, 1929, and her last performance on May 29,1929.
(Meeks)

Name of the "Maxwell House Showboat" starts
to show up as "Captain Henry's Showboat" also.

from
Woodruff: I believe the agency's name for the program was 'Captain
Henry's Maxwell House Show Boat' (see for instance in the Maxwell House
coffee ads in the 'Saturday Evening Post'), but the program was most often
referred to in newspapers (particularly in the program listings) and elsewhere
as 'Captain Henry's Show Boat' and only sometimes as the 'Maxwell House
Show Boat' .

She appeared on this show each Thursday
until her last program on September 13, 1934. There are references
to her specific shows on October 12, 1933, January 11, 1934, July 19, 1934
and her final show on September 13, 1934.

September 10,1934

Signed on the "Rexal Magic Hour". From
John Woodruff:

The 'Rexall
Magic Hour' was a transcribed series of 5 programs featuring Annette which
was broadcast in different cities on different dates, corresponding to
the local Rexall stores 'five cent sale' week. For example, the series
was broadcast the week of October 29, 1934 in New York, and the week of
November 13, 1934 in Washington D. C.

October 2, 1934-July 2, 1935 (woodruff)

Camel Caravan Show-Annette signed on the Glenn
Gray's Casa Loma Orhcestra to appear twice per week. (tuesdays and
thursday). She quit the "Camel Caravan", her last show being
July 2, 1935. There are specific references to her shows on
November 19,1934,November 26,1934,December 19,1934, February 20,1935, March
5,1935,March 7,1935, March 12, 1935, March 12, 1935, March 14, 1935, March
19,1935, March 21, 1935, March 26, 1935, March 28,1935, April 4,
1935 and May 21, 1935 (Preston Meeks)

March 15,1937

Appeared on the "Norge All-Star Varieties Show"
with Ray Noble's Orchestra. From John Woodruff:

from
John Woodruff: "The 'Norge All-Star Varieties' show was a transcribed,
syndicated series (as far as is known, Annette was only on the first of
39 programs in the series) that was broadcast on different dates in different
cities. It was broadcast in Philadelphia over WCAU from 9:15-9:30am
starting on March 15, 1937, and in New York over WOR from 11:30-11:45 am
on March 16, 1937.

March 1937

Reported to have appeared on the "Coca Cola Refreshment
Time" Program

August 2,1937

Appeared in the "Chevrolet Musical Moments Program"
transcriptions

August 3, 1937

Reported to have aired her own radio program.

from
John Woodruff: A program broadcast over WMCA, New York on August
3, 1937 is simply shown in the program listings as 'Annette Hanshaw and
Barry McKinley' , and is quite possibly a re-broadcast of the 'Musical
Moments' transcription boradcast over WOR the previous evening.

September 1937

Reported to have appeared in a few of the 26
"Desoto Car Specials" transcriptions

October 1937

Reported to have appeared in a few of the 26
"Desoto Car Specials" transcriptions

December 6, 1937

Reportedly appeared in the "Chevrolet Musical
Moments Program" transcriptions.

from
John Woodruff: My reference to the re-incarnation of the 'Musical
Moments transcriptions that began broadcasting on December 6, 1937 states
that "Victor Arden is bringing Annette Hanshaw back to radio as one of
the many guest stars", but doesn't say she is on the first program, and
the newspaper listings I have seen for that date simply say 'Victor Arden
Orchestra'.

Addendum to the list:

from
John Woodruff:

I know
of three other radio programs on which Annette appeared that are not on
your listing: She appeared on the 'Best Foods Program' , with Billy
Jones and Ernie Hare, an unknown number of times (perhaps as many as 11)
between October 14, and November 30, 1932 (the 15 minute program was broadcast
3 times a week)...she appeared as 'Gay Ellis' on the 'Cliquot Club' radio
program weekly from January 23, through April 24, 1933; and she was
a guest on the 'Lum 'n' Abner Friday Night Sociable on November 17, 1933.

Below is an article from
Radioland magazine from 1935. It is courtesy of Preston Meeks.
It has the results of the poll it took of its readers. They overwhelmingly
chose Annette as their favorite singer and "Showboat" as their favorite
show.